February Birth Flower

The flower that is associated with the month of February is not the rose. Contrary to popular belief the birth flower for February is the violet. Just like the rose it has ties to February’s most popular holiday, Valentine’s Day. The violet is connected to the Christian priest who was imprisoned by a Roman emperor. As the legend goes, St. Valentine kept encouraging believers with messages of friendship and love. He apparently crushed violet blossoms found outside his cell to make ink, which he used to write on leaves with a dove delivering the messages.

This is not the only connection the violet has to Valentine’s Day, American poetess Phoebe Fulkerson Harris documented the tradition of sending postcards and letters on St. Valentine’s Day with violets with her poem “Lines accompanying a bunch of violets sent on St. Valentine’s Day” in 1900.

It is also a well-known practice in New England to decorate a Valentine’s Day gift of a box of chocolates with a bouquet of violets.

The violet is a low, herbaceous plant that comes in various shades of blue, mauve, yellow and cream as well as several species identified as pansies and symbolize faithfulness, humility and chastity. The color violet was named after the purple-blue flower. Purple as a color means royalty and power. Following from that, purple also means confidence. Blue means spirituality and, possibly because of its spiritual association, violet also means intuition. The white found in some violets just increases the violet's association with chastity: White means purity and innocence, among other things.

Whether it is a huge bouquet or a lone rose, flowers express love, remembrance, apology, support or may just be a thoughtful gesture. Whatever the case flowers have played an important role as gestures and gifts. The meanings and traditions of flower giving may change but remain a significant part of humans connecting.